This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 2002-0051966 filed on Aug. 30, 2002 and No. 2003-0021001 filed on Apr. 3, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a lens cap assembly for a camera, and more particularly, to a lens cap assembly that can protect a lens provided on an optical zoom camera or a digital still camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an optical zoom camera and/or a digital still camera (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9ccameraxe2x80x9d) comprises a lens barrel assembly with a plurality of barrels. A lens cap assembly is coupled to one of the barrels such as a zoom ring to protect the lens employed to the lens barrel assembly.
Such a lens cap assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,973 and Korean unexamined Utility Model No. 1999-013008.
The lens cap assembly disclosed in these references is designed such that it can open and close a barrier when the lens barrel is rotated.
In the conventional lens cap assembly, during the course of power transmission converting a relative reciprocal motion of the lens barrel assembly into a rotational motion, the power transmission efficiency is deteriorated. As a result, an overload may be applied to the camera since high power is applied during the open/close operation of the lens cap, thereby increasing the electric power consumption.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a lens cap assembly that can minimize electric power consumption during the course of power transmission while converting reciprocal motion of the barrel into rotation motion of the lens cap assembly by simply modifying the design of the conventional lens cap assembly, thereby improving the reliability of the camera.
To achieve the objectives including the one identified above and others to be ascertainable from the disclosure followed here-after, the lens cap assembly of the present invention provides a front panel disposed proximal to a photographic subject, the front panel being provided with an optical path and a supporting portion projected toward a film or an image-photographing portion; at least a pair of barriers coupled to the front panel by a hinge for opening and closing the optical path of the front panel; plural elastic members disposed adjacent to the front panel to bias the barriers to an open position; a driving lever rotatably coupled to a barrier cover, the driving lever being provided with an optical path and a projection for depressing the barriers to a closed position; and power transmission means for converting a linear motion of the barrel into a rotational motion of the driving lever for closing the barriers.
Preferably, the power transmission means comprises a rotator coupled to the supporting portion of the front panel and being depressably rotatable in accordance with the linear motion of the barrel; a spring bar coupled to the supporting portion to rotate the driving lever in accordance with the rotation of the rotator and having a free end for biasing the driving lever; and a fixing pin for fixing the rotator and the spring bar to the supporting portion.
Preferably, the rotator is provided at its rotational center with an opening to fix the rotator therein with the spring bar arranged thereabout.
The power transmission means may further comprise a washer coupled on the fixing pin so that the spring bar can be restricted from detaching from the supporting portion.
Preferably, the barriers are formed of two pairs cooperating with each other to open and close the optical paths.
According to another aspect, the lens cap assembly of the present invention provides a front panel disposed proximal to a photographic subject, the front panel being provided with an optical path and a supporting portion projected toward a film or an image-photographing portion; at least a pair of barriers coupled to the front panel by a hinge for opening and closing the optical path of the front panel; plural elastic members disposed adjacent to the front panel to bias the barriers to an open position; a driving lever rotatably coupled to a barrier cover, the driving lever being provided with an optical path and a projection for depressing the barriers to a closed position; a rotator for converting a linear motion of the barrel into a rotational motion of the driving lever; a spring bar coupled to the supporting portion to rotate the. driving lever in accordance with the rotation of the rotator and having a free end for biasing the driving lever, and a fixing pin for fixing the rotator and the spring bar to the supporting portion.
According to still another aspect, the lens cap assembly of the present invention provides a front panel disposed proximal to a photographic subject, the front panel being provided with an optical path and a supporting portion projected toward a film or an image-photographing portion; at least a pair of barriers coupled to the front panel by a hinge for opening and closing the optical path of the front panel; plural elastic members disposed adjacent to the front panel to bias the barriers to an open position; a driving lever rotatably coupled to a barrier cover, the driving lever being provided with an optical path and a projection for depressing the barriers to a closed position; and a rotator for converting a linear motion of the barrel into a rotational motion of the driving lever, the rotator including an elastic member that is elastically deformable and operably coupled with the driving lever.
According to still another aspect, the lens cap assembly of the present invention provides a front panel disposed proximal to a photographic subject, the front panel being provided with an optical path and a supporting portion projected toward a film or an image-photographing portion; at least a pair of barriers coupled to the front panel by a hinge for opening and closing the optical path of the front panel; plural elastic members disposed at the front panel to bias the barriers to an open position; a driving lever rotatably coupled to a barrier cover, the driving lever being provided with the optical path and a projection for depressing the barriers to a closed position, the driving lever including an elastic portion; and a rotator contacting the elastic portion of the driving lever to convert a linear motion of the barrel into a rotational motion of the driving lever, the rotator being rotatably coupled to the front panel.